Interview: China's strengthened cooperation, exchanges make IPU more relevant, says official

BEIJING, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) -- China has intensified its efforts to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and help make the union more relevant, said IPU Secretary General Martin Chungong on Wednesday.

Chungong made the remarks during an interview with Xinhua on the sidelines of the 2024 interregional seminar on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals for parliaments of developing countries in Beijing.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the National People's Congress's affiliation to the IPU. Within the IPU framework, China has contributed greatly to promoting sustainable development goals, countering the scourge of terrorism and violent extremism, and addressing climate change, Chungong said.

"China is helping the IPU to be more relevant, which means that the IPU is better able to assist other parliaments in becoming more relevant," he said.

In his view, one "exciting" feature of the Chinese model is that it always looks at the system of governance "through the lens of the people."

"When we talk about relevance, we are talking about the ability and capacity to deliver on expectations of the people," said Chungong.

People in other countries would resonate with the Chinese approach as it aligns with the people's aspirations, said Chungong.

Speaking of the ongoing interregional seminar, Chungong said parliamentary leaders and representatives from 32 developing countries "will have the opportunity to witness firsthand how sustainable development is carried out" in China, and explore how China has successfully eradicated poverty in communities across the country.

"The National People's Congress is an inclusive legislative body. People from all walks of life and ethnic groups are all represented there. We see this trickling down to the local level," said Chungong.

Looking forward, Chungong anticipates that stronger cooperation among legislative bodies worldwide will enhance the ability of countries to address common challenges and allow parliamentary diplomacy to complement traditional forms of diplomacy.

Established in 1889, the IPU is one of the oldest and most influential international parliamentary organizations headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.